Balancing the Dojo

A few posts back, I mentioned how I've attained gender-balance in my dojo--nearly the same number of female as male students.  That may shift soon, as I just received a call from a mother with three boys, but I'm still thrilled with my percentage of female students. 

I've heard anecdotal reports that place the average male-female ratio at about 80:20 for martial arts, with 'softer' arts like Tai Chi having a more balanced ratio and 'harder' arts having a greater male-dominated imbalance.  Drawing from my own experience, I knew I was supposed to like the soft arts more, and I really tried to like them.  But when it came down to it, I wanted to take those softer techniques and apply them in a more...intense...setting, yet not one that was overtly "macho." 

I knew I couldn't be the only such female.  So when I started teaching, I made it a goal to balance my classes so every student--male, female, adult, child--would feel comfortable, challenged, and encouraged.  I've got a long way to go, and I'm constantly tweaking what I do, the language I use, and the methods I use to teach to better reach my goal.

Here are some cool things that have happened thus far: 

( Read more... )

None of that matters so much as the central truth I make clear every class: it's acceptable to enjoy karate.  Y'see, the approved and assumed reason women and girls practice karate is to learn and improve their self-defense abilities.  On the other hand, it's assumed boys and men take karate because they enjoy it. 

But the truth is, karate is fun.  There is joy in learning a new physical skill, competing with friends, doing something difficult and doing it right.  My favorite in-class moments come when my students are fighting each other--and smiling with sheer enjoyment of the experience.  Girl or boy, woman or man--having a place that accepts, expects, and supports strengthening oneself just because is a great equalizer.

*I became extremely sensitive to this some years ago, after reading a parenting book that focused on boys.  One paragraph mentioned being careful about gender-specific insults--especially during divorces--that fathers might make in front of daughters, or mothers in front of sons.  If I were to say, "Men are such pigs!" in front of my son, what does that tell him about what I think he will become?  Why would he want to become something his mother will no longer love?